In the generation of test and simulated images for a laser radar apparatus, for example, there is need for delaying optical signals for selectable time intervals in the sub nanosecond time range. Similarly, in the performance of signal processing for other light-based optical systems it is also desirable to introduce small digitally selected signal delays for scanner-free imaging, diffraction/holographic imaging, optical mixing, and delay-measurements.
Although such generation of optical signal delays has doubtless been heretofore accomplished in the signal processing art, it is notable that the use of digitally incremented signal delays, i.e., digital delay devices, appears to have been omitted from this art. The present invention addresses this omission.